New regime.. could bring in different players. Detroit for example was able to get Josh Smith. He's not a superstar, but a talented player that could easily be flipped in a year or two for other capable players.

The Raptors could open their wallets for a similar player.

Also 2014 is the Wiggins draft year.. plus it's the year that Lebron/Wade/Bosh can all become free agents (if they chose too). Now let's say a team is willing to dump assets so that they can chase Lebron or Wade in free agency. And let's say they need a team with cap space so that they can dump some of those assets with draft picks (for example). Wouldn't having $20M in cap space be a good thing (for example)?

At the same time, teams that missed out on the 'Big 3' sweepstakes would be willing to throw money at Gay if he is a FA or he could be looking to join a contender. I really want to believe that ownership can retain high caliber players at a decent salaries but with Toronto's history of overpaying I'm really unsure about the idea.

It's actually the perfect year for him to opt out. While so many of the top free agent destinations are clearing cap space with Melo & Lebron in mind, only 2 teams will get them. Rudy becomes the next best thing on the wing, 19 million garanteed is hard to walk away from but you know some dumb GM desperate to get out of the lottery or stay out of the lottery will offer him at least 60 million, someone might even offer him Max depending on how much he improves. That cap space might not be available in 2015, eventually those teams are gonna have to refill their roster with long term contracts (especially the Mavs and Lakers they've been saving cap space for 2 years already).

We can speculate all we want but it all depends on 2 factors that won't have an answer until the end of next season.

1- How much he enjoys playing with this current squad
2- How much masai thinks he's worth.

At the same time, teams that missed out on the 'Big 3' sweepstakes would be willing to throw money at Gay if he is a FA or he could be looking to join a contender. I really want to believe that ownership can retain high caliber players at a decent salaries but with Toronto's history of overpaying I'm really unsure about the idea.

If he does t want to play for the raps, hell opt out. If he opts in, there is hope

If Your Uncle Jack Helped You Off An Elephant, Would You Help Your Uncle Jack Off An Elephant?

Sometimes, I like to buy a book on CD and listen to it, while reading music.

There is probably a 70%-80% chance he keeps his option, but MU needs to gauge that situation sooner then later. If the Raptors want to get a tangible asset for Gay then it would make sense to trade him now or else get into that Bosh situation all over again (although it worked out well for MU and Carmelo).

Let's look at each scenario:

1) Gay declines his option, and then resigns with the Raptors for much less but for a long term deal (like 4 years / $13M).

This would probably my most preferable scenario, but probably very unlikely.

2) Gay declines his option, and signs elsewhere for a long term deal.

The Raptors lose Ed Davis (and a 2nd rounder) for nothing. They could do a S&T, but I don't see it happening (Denver did not do a S&T with AI for example)... but they become serious free agent players in 2014.

3) Gay keeps his option. He becomes a UFA in 2015 and resigns with the Raptors.

This is probably the most likely outcome, assuming the Raptors are interested. They will have his Bird rights so can resign him to any value even if they are above the cap.

4) Gay keeps his option. He becomes a UFA in 2015 and resigns with another team.

The Raptors could lose him for nothing (like scenario 1), or they could do a S&T but then they could be stuck with crappy assets.

5) The Raptors extend him now.. this is the least desirable option as his starting salary would be about $19M a year.

I'm in the anti-tanking crowd, so I'd prefer to keep Gay and hope he opts out so that he can resign for a cheaper/longer term deal. But if he does leave for nothing, well $20M of cap space is not so bad either. Not really that bad of a worst case scenario.

Gay seems to be a guy that will go where the money is, and having to overpay him again just to keep him doesn't jive with me. It will definitely be a good conversation to have a year from now assuming he's still with the team.

IT is looking like AI will be signed and traded in a three team deal that allows Denver to get a player (Foye)/TPE and GSW to get a TPE which will allow them to keep their exceptions (which could have allowed them to keep Jack or Landry!) and Utah gets what they always were getting.

If there is no extension in place by deadline I will expect both Kyle and Rudy to be traded by deadline. Call it a mid season tank. Masai will use the first few months for evaluations and once Kyle and Rudy have played well & consistently enough they will be shippied out for prospects and picks. Thats one option.

I have a hard time believing they want to win now based on how TL basically shat on Colangelo and this team the moment he walked in the door. But I must say the suspense is killing me lol. Tomorrow will come and go and the only thing done will have been Andrea to NY, although on one hand I guess a move like that deserves a full day of reflection, maybe even a Maple Leafs Square party to celebrate lol

If there is no extension in place by deadline I will expect both Kyle and Rudy to be traded by deadline. Call it a mid season tank. Masai will use the first few months for evaluations and once Kyle and Rudy have played well & consistently enough they will be shippied out for prospects and picks. Thats one option.

I have a hard time believing they want to win now based on how TL basically shat on Colangelo and this team the moment he walked in the door. But I must say the suspense is killing me lol. Tomorrow will come and go and the only thing done will have been Andrea to NY, although on one hand I guess a move like that deserves a full day of reflection, maybe even a Maple Leafs Square party to celebrate lol

I could very well see this being MU's strategy for the season, beyond just Gay and/or Lowry. He might choose to use the first half as an overall roster evaluation, both individually and as far as fit/chemistry. Depending on how the season starts out, in terms of both win/loss record and player development, he could decide to make moves to challenge for the playoffs or completely blow it up, with an eye on getting a top-5 pick in the draft.

This could be a great way to handle Gay, Lowry, DeRozan, etc... especially since there could be a renewed and competitive market for those types of players leading up to the trade deadline, as bubble teams decide to make a push for the playoffs. MU could do very well getting young players who are stuck at the end of or outside teams' rotation (think Lamb/PJII in OKC last season), as well as 1st round picks. Even getting a couple mid-1st round picks in the 2014 draft, in combination with their own lottery pick, could provide a means of moving up in the draft or stockpiling several good young assets.

And this way, like you mentioned, he can still go either way. If the team has more internal developement beyond anyones expectations then they can make moves to try and get better to.

Also, has anyone seen Lowry this offseason? I seen a pic of him n hes looking approx 190lbs. None of this 210 business. Im kind of hoping they go this route so we can really see what we have now and also get max value for players.

I just recovered recently from a back injury that put me out for 3 months. When you can't exercise your core, it's difficult to lean out and get back into shape. He's done an amazing job getting back into shape.

3-4 players in our roster have gained or lost muscle/fat in order to play better for 2013/2014. Good things a coming!

When it comes to Lowry I can't help but fear the contract year beyond 2013-14 season.

It is incredible what changes guys will make for their likely final pay day.

With that said, I love a healthy Lowry playing his game and not imitating a former Spaniard Raptor.

I am expecting big things from Lowry too, and part of me is scared of that. It appears that a majority of the fan base wants the team to tank (and I am now edging closer to that side - thanks RR!)... so having Lowry play great has two negatives: 1) we win games; 2) Lowry will be looking to get paid handsomely.

Rudy Gay Update

Here's an interesting read on what Rudy's been up to this summer:

Earlier in the day, the two begin in the weight room, where they complete a series of basic warm-up exercises that leave the 6-8 forward drenched in sweat. They then hit the court, working on everything—post moves against an imaginary defender, floaters in the paint, pick-and-rolls, a series of three-pointers. Whenever there’s a break and Gay pauses to catch his breath, Gray makes him shoot a pair of free throws.

He’s in the gym because he wants to get better, and he’s in the weight room working because he wants to get stronger and more explosive, so I think all of that comes back to setting the standard [for the Raptors]. He wants to be the leader and he wants to take this franchise to where it wants to go. He understands that it starts with him.”

Gay openly admitted to us—simply a poor shooting season. He sank 32.3 percent from deep and an even worse 31.2 percent from 16-23 feet from the hoop, per HoopData.com, which would explain why Gay and Gray have placed long-range shooting on the top of this summer’s agenda. “If he can knock [the three-point shot] down consistently, everything is gonna open up more,” Gray says. “Being a threat from out there will open up situations off of close-outs and they’ll have to play him differently off ball-screens. It’s gonna open up the court for him much more.”

Gay felt immediately welcomed in Canada. “It was just like getting drafted all over again,” he says. “Having the crowd behind me and just checking in the first time to kind of a standing ovation—it was good. Especially when you get traded, it’s like the end of an era, but they welcomed me and made me feel like it’s the beginning of a new one.”

Gay and Gray have plans to get after it all summer long, improving with work not just on the court, but off it; Gay often makes specific film requests, and Gray delivers him footage of some of the NBA’s best moves, like Kobe’s face-ups and Chris Paul’s pick-and-rolls. Gay also acknowledges that he’ll need to take on a leadership position in Toronto, a role he never fully grasped in Memphis, and Gray preps him by gifting him books by leadership-specialist John Maxwell.

“Leaving Memphis? Yeah, it sucked. But I’m glad with where I’m at; I’m glad I have a chance to help with guys like JV [Jonas Valanciunas] and DeMar [DeRozan]. People come up to me and say, like, ‘You can be like T-Mac! You can be like Vince Carter!’ And I’m like, I don’t want to be either of those people. I want to be me. I want to make my own rules and do my own things.”

i think rudy's going to be a popular name come trade deadline if he's playing well. i have absolutely nothing to back this up, but i have a feeling other teams are going to wait and see what he can do now that he can see before offering the raps anything.